After Dark
by Tekamen
Summary: Life? Death? Why should it matter? Shinobi are sworn to take lives in order to protect the ones they love. Even if it means taking their own.


Author's Note: Yes. I started writing again. I just needed to take a break and.. uh retool my thoughts. Really I kind of lost my inspiration to write what I had so I started over. And I really owe it to all to those who helped with, or even bothered to read this. And to calatrava for being the beta reader for no reason I can figure out.

So enjoy.

**Another Time/Another Story** - Beat Crusaders

* * *

ガラスのブルース - Blues of Glass

* * *

Everyone hates me.

Why do I exist?

Why was I given this burden?

I hate myself.

But does it matter.

Resisting is a futile effort.

* * *

"Hey Sasuke!"

The same routine, every day since the retrieval. Greet Sakura and Sasuke at the usual meeting spot. Get beaten by said raging female. And spend approximately 3 hours glaring at Sasuke. The normal routine.

But today Naruto wasn't feeling all that great. Today had to be the single most hated day in his life. He despised it, totally. And wanted nothing more than for it to be nuked with an eternal black flame. But then he wouldn't exist.

Where was Itachi when he needed him?

Said Uchiha glanced at the blonde. "Hn." Giving only a grunt of acknowledgment. He turned his attention back to the current problem. Ignoring Sakura. His defences were weaker since he was released from the hospital. After Naruto kicked his ass and dragged him back to the village. He visibly twitched every time Sakura opened her mouth to speak.

But his pain would not end any time soon. For Sakura was chosen, by some strange cruel coincidence to be his watcher. Which meant that she was assigned to him at any and all hours during the day.

…That was truly cruel and unusual punishment in its truest definition.

The small black box attached to his leg didn't help to calm his annoyance. As with high voltage Raiton seal tattooed to his back, while he was unconscious no doubt. He vaguely remembered the talk Tsunade gave him in the hospital.

_'Basically I'm doing this for two reasons. One: I don't like you. Two: I want to see you suffer. Who knows, if you're a good boy I might relax some of these measures. Oh and a word of advice, do not get anywhere within ten feet of the village walls. Or else you'll be zapped and Anbu will be on your ass in seconds. Have fun then.'  
_  
"Aww.. No love for me bastard." Naruto put on a false pout, "I thought we were friends."

"Shut up Naruto."

Deciding Sasuke was of no more importance. His attention turned to Sakura. "Hey Saku-"

"Leave me alone Naruto."

Confusedly. Naruto backed down and went silent. There was none of the exuberance Sakura usually had. Which was of course hitting him to the ground every time he so much as said hello. He didn't enjoy that too much.

It was one of the things that made him seriously question why he chased her.

"Sorry Sakura-chan."

"Whatever." She answered grittily. Naruto was the bane of her existence the last three months. Always hanging around Sasuke when the two of them were supposed to be alone. Sure it was her 'duty' to look after the traitor, but she was always one to take advantage of a good opportunity. And this was the best chance she had of showing Sasuke the light.

But Naruto again was in the way.

He was her main rival in gaining Sasuke's love, in her own mind at least.

A small puff of ninja smoke above their heads signalled Kakashi's arrival. "Well hello my cute students! Are you ready for your missions?"

"You mean the physically exhausting, mind-numbly, backbreaking bouts of slave labour that you slave drivers call D-rank missions?" Sasuke asked sarcastically.

"Wow… you actually made a joke." Naruto gasped in awe. "It must be the apocalypse."

"No it's just me being tired, annoyed and pissed off. And you're only adding irritation to that combination."

"I live to please Sasuke."

"Calm down boys." Kakashi put a hand on their shoulders. "We don't have as many missions as usual today. A lot less actually."

"Really?!"

"Yes." He nodded, "In fact we should be done before noon. And right after that we train." The three face faulted instantly.

'Damnit he was screwing with our heads.'

Kakashi's 'training' as he called it. To them it was more like a hardcore high chunin regiment of pain. The reason for this was simple. Kakashi finally saw it fit to pay attention to his team. After all when one defects, and one ends up nearly dead, it doesn't show how good of a teacher one might have been. Not at all.

So in order to rectify this problem, he started them on a slightly advanced training schedule. Chakra building exercises, stamina exercises. Speed training, Genjutsu. Anything he could use to push them and keep them so busy that not one of them, more or less Sasuke, would ever have the opportunity to think of defecting.

"So loveable students are you ready?"

With a collective sigh the three dragged their feet to whatever horrors Kakashi was taking them to. Lambs to the slaughter was a severe an understatement.

* * *

"It's different."

Kurama Yakumo gave Naruto a small smile. Despite the fact that the oni which was eating away at her subconscious was gone, she was, still is and still will be under house arrest. Attempted murder on a jounin, multiple genin and the rest of her own family wasn't that big a deal really. In her eyes at least. Naruto came to see her every night since they first met. For some reason she could talk to him about anything. Her paintings, and her still forever burning hatred for Kurenai for example. She only resorted to painting scenes of the jounin's death three times a day, only one less than the previous four.

Yakumo was grateful to Naruto for sticking around like he did. She was fairly certain she would have been left all alone after their encounter, or be moved to an actual jail. She was just glad to have an actual friend for once in her sad lonely life.

"Of course it's different. I'm trying for a simplistic existentialist style with this one."

"I meant that it's not about Kurenai."

She sighed in defeat. It was true. This was probably the only painting she'd done in years that didn't feature Kurenai dying in some horribly, gruesome fashion. "Yes it's not… that woman. I wanted to try something different today, and it worked out just fine in my opinion."

Naruto nodded, "It's definitely awesome. You know I've been meaning to ask. That demon thing in your head is gone right? That was the only thing preventing you from having full control of your genjutsu. It's crazy powerful. You nearly destroyed Hokage tower with it. Considering that you hate Konoha so much… why haven't you tried destroying it?"

"Why should I bother?" She sniffed, "That pitiful place isn't worth using my power on. Besides... There are thousand of ninja in this village. I would be killed instantly."

"Hmmm I guess that's true."

Yakumo looked at him strangely. He lacked his usual loudness, his posture was off and there was none of that ever-present energy. He was depressed. Again.

"What's wrong this time?" She was used to his moods whenever he got into one. It's one of the things that made her confide in him. He told her everything and vice-versa. It was just something that connected them.

"There's nothing wrong Yakumo. Why should there be?"

"Don't be like that. You can tell me."

"It's nothing." Answering harshly he avoided her eyes. It was hard to lie to her, she was very good at reading body language, and not that he liked doing that in the first place.

"Ah." She stood and approached him slowly with a dark glint in her eye. "I know what it is."

"Y-You do?"

"Of course I do." Yakumo grabbed his shoulders and kissed him, "Happy Birthday Naruto-kun." His brain rebooted after the initial shock of the kiss. Then processing that a girl actually kissed him. And that girl happened to be Yakumo.

"W-Why did you do that?" He asked. Not that he was complaining. While he did want his first real kiss to be with Sakura. Something in his mind, possibly called common sense or rationality told him he wasn't missing out on anything and this was the best he would ever get.

But unfortunately that voice was tiny. And was drowned out by the much bigger voices that screamed out. 'PROFIT!!'

"Because I wanted to." She answered happily. "You are the only friend I have."

"…So are you going to bake a cake or something?"

"But Naruto. The cake is a lie."

"I-It is?"

"Yes it is. But don't worry I'll make it up to you." Yakumo traced a finger along his cheek. "I don't want you to be sad."

Naruto avoided eye contact. Thereby missing the saddened look on Yakumo's face. "Yeah well. My birthday isn't something that can be made better. I hate it."

The glare the frail girl leveled wasn't making him feel any more comfortable. "But why?" She asked quietly. "You never told me and I want to know." Jabbing her finger into his chest she pushed him to the far side of the room. "I have told you everything I've ever held close to me. Why can't you share something like why you hate your birthday?"

_'You have to stop hiding behind a mask Naruto.'_

_'Mask? Who needs a mask? I don't believe in that.'_

_'Then what do you believe in?'_

_'If there's something you don't want someone to know Yakumo, just don't tell them.'_

"Because I can't." He replied listlessly, "I can't tell you everything at least…"

Yakumo released him, "Then what can you tell me?"

"…Have I ever told you about my mother?"

That surprised her. The way Naruto avoided any mention of parents. Even if they were talking about hers. She assumed his mother and father were dead. "No. You haven't."

He laughed mirthlessly. "Well. Let me tell you a story Yakumo-chan. Nine years ago. My mother and I lived near the edge of a village. We stayed in a small house at the foot of the monument. It's still there in fact." His hand clenched into a fist. "One day… she left."

'Stay here Naruto-kun. Don't worry I will be back soon.'

"'Be back soon' she said. Hah. I spent two weeks there alone, before Sarutobi decided to check up on me. I couldn't leave because I was scared of going out into the forest alone."

"T-That's bad. What kind of mother does that?" Yakumo asked in awe. She would have never guessed Naruto went through such a thing.

"Haha.. She left one thing for me. This." He pulled out a small golden locket from his coat.

世 界

'Sekai.' Yakumo read the kanji inscribed on it, she couldn't guess why it would have something so plain if it was supposed to be important.

"I have no idea why she left it." He continued, "Maybe she just forgot it."

"Then… why do you keep it?"

"I have no idea why." He replied staring at it, "At first I kept wondering what I did to make her leave. Every night I kept hoping that she would come back. Then I started wondering why my dad was never around. 'Did I make him leave too? Was he dead? What did I do?' Everyone kept telling me, 'Don't worry Naruto she'll be back. She is only on an extended mission.' Bullshit."

"Then I started realizing how everyone felt about me, once I was old enough to understand. Whenever I wandered the village everyone looked at me with those cold eyes."

"After a while… I stopped caring." Naruto sighed, "She wasn't around anymore. The villagers hated me. Everyone lied to me. So I thought to myself why should I bother with it all?. It won't make a difference so I moved on." His eyes closed, "Now… Now I don't know what to think anymore. I know why she left me now. I-I can't accept it. She knew. She was my mother, she knew and she left me."

Yakumo hugged him from behind. "Why did she leave?"

"That I can't tell you. It's too personal. Like a demon I've been keeping inside my entire life. I could tell you just one more secret." His eyes glazed, "There was one time. I met that woman."

"What woman?" Yakumo asked, "Your mother?"

"No, no. Someone else. She did things to me." He whispered, "Bad things. Painful things. It hurt. It still hurts. She tormented me. She tortured me. She made me feel fear."

The genjutsu mistress' eye narrowed to slits. "Who is she?" She asked. No one hurts Naruto as gets away with it. Not without dealing with hell itself.

"She's dead." He replied bluntly. "And I was happy once I heard. So happy I cried the minute I over heard some one talk about it. Haha. They probably thought I was mourning."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Probably not."

She pulled him closer to her, "At the least, let me try. You've done so much for me already. You don't understand just how grateful I really am."

"Yakumo what are you- Hmm. " Naruto moaned into her kiss and relaxed, the pale girl pushed further into him, their lips broke apart and she nibbled on his ear. "Please Naruto let me do this. I want to repay you somehow."

Her fingers unzipped the orange jacket before working their way across his chest. While tracing a line along his lips. "I want to give myself to you Naruto." Naruto repressed a shudder at the determined look in her eyes. "I want you to have my virginity."

….Her virginity?

……..

System volume dirty:

Preparing CHDSK for cleaning….

Cleaning System C:/…. 0%…50%…0%

Process failed.

Rebooting.

……….

Naruto stared at her blankly. "Whaaa?.."

"I said that I want to give myself to you."

"B-But why?" She placed his hand on her chest and smiled "Because I love you. You're the only one who has ever even bothered to check if I'm alive besides Anbu. You are the only person who has ever cared for me next to my parents. Naruto there are no other people I have ever trusted as much as you. Please Naruto this is the only way I can thank you."

He nodded slowly as she pulled him to her bed. "T-This is my first time. So I only know what I have read before." Naruto shook his head, "It's alright just do what you feel like doing."

The shirt and armour were tossed away quickly, Yakumo nibbled on his neck, her tongue leaving a trail of fluid in its wake. "Go lie on the bed," She whispered. "Just give me a minute. I'll be right back."

Seeing that he had no choice but to comply, he did as he was told. His mind was running through all the possible scenarios that could lead to his escape. He didn't' know what the fuck he was doing, but he sure as hell knew who he was about to do.

The door licked shut and his eyes wandered to the girl as she strode over towards him. Shock first registered. Yakumo approached him slowly wearing a red robe, slightly loose on her shoulders and carrying a glass bottle. He took a quick look at her and turned away.

Older girl in a bathrobe.

Not good for his hormones.

Yakumo gulped as she slid off the robe. The idea came up when reading two of the books in her library.

One on massage techniques.

And the Kamasutra.

"Just relax Naruto-kun." She said soothing, pouring oil on his back, and slipping off the robe. "It won't be long…"

* * *

"Why are we out here again?"

Yakumo pinched Naruto's arm. She tries to bring him to a romantic place, sitting on her roof under the moonlight and stars. Yet the atmosphere doesn't penetrate his thick head. "Baka…. I like sitting out here. It's nice and quiet. And my guards leave me alone as long as they don't notice I leave the premises."

"Ah, I see." Nodding in understanding Naruto agreed he could see the appeal. "But did you have to do that? It hurt you know." He held her waist, and pulled her closer to him. The last two weeks was a sort of bliss for Naruto.

He returned to Yakumo every single night, as she was always grateful for it.

"Yes. Because you're an idiot."

"Mou… That's mean Yakumo-chan."

"I know." Answering pointedly, she smiled, "That's one of the reasons I love you. And you're mine." She laid her head on his shoulder. "You have no idea how good this feels right now… Kyaaa!" She squealed and glared at Naruto, after he pinched her ass..

"Oh I have an idea…"

"Pervert." She whispered. "No more genjutsu sex for you." The girl huffed and looked at him right in the eyes, "No matter how much you pout-" His glistening eyes, and lower lip were irresistible to her inner senses. Naruto had learned all of her weaknesses over their short time.

All of them.

And he was ready to exploit them at any time.

'Damn you…' She cursed inwardly. "I really have to figure out how you do that…" Naruto snaked his right hand past her thigh.

"It is a secret. You'll have to use every method possible to try and get it from me."

"Oh I will…" Yakumo's expression hardened, "Naruto. Why did you not tell me about Kyuubi earlier?"

"…Why are you even asking? I already told you about it, didn't I?"

"That's not the point." She growled. "We told each other everything Naruto. Telling me about it right after we fucked isn't the most romantic thing in the world. I-I just wanted to know the real you. You keep lying to everyone. I was hoping you didn't lie to me and you did."

"It's not like a could tell you-"

"The Kyuubi is inside of you isn't it?" She snapped, "It applies to only you. It's not hard to figure out. You told me that.. The previous Hokage."

And she said the last part with particular contempt. "Forbid anyone from speaking about it. That part's true, but it doesn't stop you from telling anyone. After all,. You told me. I'm pretty sure Tsunade knows it, and your two senseis do as well."

Naruto returned her glare, "And did I have your assurance that you wouldn't hate me like everyone else? Even those who don't' know hated me for no reason when I was younger-"

"But you have friends now don't you?" Yakumo replied quietly, "I remember what you told me when we first met. 'I have people that care…' You were especially offended with my hatred of Sarutobi. I took that to heart. You are the only friend I have. And the only one who treats me like a human being-" *Cough* She grabbed her chest and began coughing erratically. Naruto held her tightly. "It's not like I can tell you about Akatsuki." He though miserably.

The memory of Itachi and Kisame at the door was locked into his mind for eternity.

"You shouldn't be out here in the cold. You know how weak your body is. Oww! He grabbed his head in pain from where she hit him.

"You don't have to mention it… But maybe we should go inside." She gave him the kind of smile that made her a vixen in his eyes. "Who knows… maybe we will do the whole ramen bowl idea tonight."

Naruto wiped the drool from his mouth. Yes not a bad night at all.

* * *

_A kick to the gut made Naruto very aware of his situation._

_Something… horrible permeated the air. Naruto knew the scent but he couldn't pinpoint it. There was smoke, he could feel the raw flames of a fire somewhere close._

_His eyes were near swollen shut. And he was pretty sure he was kicked between the legs a few times._

_A groan left him._

_Yes, definitely down there._

_"Now. Naruto-kun are you ready to quit."_

_Itachi's placid voice was already ingrained into his mind. His slowly spinning Sharingan was the only thing about him that had a sense of life._

_"Heh. You really beat the shit out of him Itachi."_

_Kisame. The shark-like swordsman. He wouldn't forget that rough, scratching voice either._

_"W-Where am I?" His mind ran rampant with the thought of the two finally capturing him._

_Itachi raised an eyebrow. As if it was the dumbest question he had ever heard. "Where you ask? We are standing in the middle of Konoha of course." Naruto eyes would have gone wide if they could open more than a few millimetres. "Where else would we be?"_

_Predicting his next question Itachi continued, "How? Why? I am aware that Jiraiya knew of our three year... adjournment if you will. But it doesn't mean however that we cannot change our plans once more Naruto-kun."_

_"W-What?!" Naruto exclaimed. "What the fuck is it that you are saying?" He was then hoisted up and kicked again._

_"Please refrain from using such vulgarities Naruto." The elder Uchiha scolded him lightly, "You are a young man after all. Let's take a walk Naruto-kun"_

_'Walk' was putting in a slightly different context. Kisame dragged him along the ground like a sack of potatoes, or really bad manure._

_"You have limited sight… so tell me what you see." Naruto moved his head slowly to one side._

_Bodies._

_Hordes of them._

_Split in half, broken, set aflame in a pyrotechnic blaze. Every imaginable method of killing a person probably took place. He wasn't there for any of it._

_'Where was I when this was going on?'_

_"Make yourself comfortable Naruto." Kisame tossed him against a wall. Comfortable. Not how Naruto would put it._

_"What did you do with everyone?" Naruto wheezed out. "Tsunade-baa-chan, Sakura, Sasuke, Kakashi-baka. Where the hell are they?"_

_Itachi replied plainly, "Dead obviously."_

_He froze in complete shock. Everyone dead? Not possible. There was no way Itachi could kill Tsunade. Not a chance in hell._

_"My foolish brother. He thought he could stop me. Your sensei, your precious Hokage…But there is one left Naruto."_

_"Please… Save me Naruto."_

_"I-I need your help."_

_Naruto twitched as her heard the voice, "Yakumo?"_

_He found her in Itachi's grasp. Broken, bruised, beaten. A deep growl emitted from his throat._

_"Looks like the gaki's mad Itachi-san."_

_"It doesn't look to be enough." He pulled on her hair and sliding a kunai in to his hand. "I am from Konoha do you thin k I wouldn't know about the Yakumo clan Naruto?"_

_"N-Naruto… please help me."_

_"I don't want to die."_

_"Please!"_

_Naruto's eyes burned red with rage. "Yakumo!!!"_

………..

He jumped out of bed and landed on the floor in a tangled mess. Naruto found himself back in his apartment. He checked his body, no wounds or anything. Just sweat pouring from his forehead.

"That. Was messed up." He looked at the alarm clock on his desk. "Two-Thirty in the morning... damnit I need sleep."

* * *

Kakashi was not one to pry into the lives of his students. Once he wasn't forcibly dragged into the situation, he didn't really care enough to bother. Like with Naruto's pranks. If the blond was caught, he gets the fallout.

He finally understood Iruka's frustrations.

"Where's Naruto?"

Sasuke shrugged, his indifference shone through. Inside he was really hoping Naruto wouldn't show up. If one of them wasn't here then Kakashi wouldn't get the chance to beat the shit out of him. It wouldn't solve his other pink problem, but it was a start. "Do you expect us to know?"

"That idiot doesn't have any consideration." Sakura huffed, "Making us wait even after Kakashi gets here. The bastard get here late enough as it is.."

"No worries Sakura" Kakashi chimed, "I'm sure he has a good reason to not be here. I'll give him a few more minutes before I go looking for him. Oh and Sakura, Bastard am I? How could you say such a thing to your wonderful, loving sensei? I'll be sure to remember during training today."

The sudden feeling of 'oh fuck I'm screwed' washed over Sakura.

In order to somehow distract Kakashi from lightly maiming her , she pointed to the first thing that came into her field of vision.

"Naruto no Baka!!!"

"Huh? What?"

Sakura put him in a headlock, "You are late! You inconsiderate bastard! Now Kakashi-sensei is going to beat me into a pulp! What do you have to say for yourself?!"

"C-Could you let go of me Sakura-chan?!" He half screamed through her grip. Tsunade's lessons were paying off for Sakura. But not really benefiting Naruto at this point. "You're choking me to death."

"Not until you've learned you lesson!"

"Ok, Ok I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry! I won't be late again! Please let me breathe damnit!" Sasuke smirked, seeing the reason behind his current irritation, which wasn't Sakura, in pain was something of a gift really. Something positive to take his mind away from the upcoming hell.

"Yes, Sakura could you let him go now?" Kakashi asked plainly. We should get going. Like I said earlier, Naruto probably has a very good reason why he's late. Isn't that right Naruto?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" He screamed. The pink haired harbinger of death huffed and released him. Giving him a look that promised pain later on.

"Care to tell us why you were late idiot?" Sasuke asked, clearly irritated. Waiting even longer than usual was not something he wanted to experience again. Just to save what little of his sanity that was left.

"Nightmares kept me up?"

While that was true, he couldn't exactly say he spent half the night at some girl's house could he?

Kakashi looked at him sceptically for a moment. "Don't eat right before going to bed Naruto." He scolded. "Now that everyone's here, it's training time."

Enthusiasm. The air was thick with it.

* * *

Black holes centred in deep pools of azure. Yakumo loved looking into Naruto's eyes. They were endless oceans of colour, mirroring the sky and sea she only read about in books.

She rested her head on his shoulders. She was too exhausted to do anything else. Naruto ran her dry. Maybe in a few hours she'd get a chance to return the favour. Her boyfriend shivered beneath her, whispering things under her breath. He was sweaty, and twitching not a good sign.

"Naruto-kuun." She purred. Rubbing his back, she moved closer and licked his ear lobe. "Come on… wake up. We can do the whole nekomusume thing if you want… I'll even make a clone." She didn't get a response; he continued muttering under his breath.

"Furrowing her brow she shook him, "Naruto?" He hissed and arched his back with the sudden contact. "N-No.. Please.. Mik- It hurts! No! No, no, no!! Stop it. Stop it. Stop it-" Naruto muttered under laboured breath.

Yakumo bit her lip, "Naruto." She shook him again. No reaction this time. "Naruto? Wake up… Naruto." She moved around to kiss him. "Naruto, please."

His eyes opened slowly, "Hmm.... A little more to the left." A vein popped on her forehead. Yakumo took out her inks and canvas, with a devious smile on her face. Her eyes glowed for a second, and a ball of water formed from nothing and floated over the blonde's head.

"Wake up."

The water hit him like a slap to the face. He jumped and looked around hastily. "What the hell?!?!" He turned to his girlfriend, shaking excess water from his hair, and sighed. They would really need to set some ground rules with her ability. "Yakumo? Why did you do that?" He asked.

"You were having a nightmare." She said flatly and pouted. "Not a wet dream about me, like you should be having. So tell me what it was."

"It was nothing." He answered quickly, "Let's go back to sleep."

"You're lying to me again Naruto." She grated, "I don't like it when you lie to me."

"No really." He waved his hands in defence, "It's really nothing."

Yakumo eyes narrowed to slits. "You will tell me Naruto. Or you will never get any from me again. Ever."

Naruto crossed his arms and laid back. "Fine then." The brunette was surprised by this. The threat of no sex was too great for any man to take a chance on. But Naruto put that idea down instantly.

"Naruto… Please." She whispered. "Tell me. I can help you. I'm here for anything you need."

"It's just some bad memories. Nothing more than that."

She grabbed his wrists and pinned him to the bed. Despite her physical weakness, Yakumo could be forceful when she needed to be. "Don't lie to me Naruto!" His breathing heightened and he stared into her eyes with nothing but fear.

"Naruto?"

"Yakumo!" He snapped. "Can you drop it? Please?" She noted the strained look in his face and sighed.

"No I won't. If you don't' tell me what it is then you wont' be able to deal with it. Besides we don't keep secrets from each other, remember?"

"You're persistent you know that?"

"Yes." 'Kiss' "That's why you love me." Yakumo rested on his chest. "Now tell me. I'll do anything to help you with it."

"You remember what I told you about my wonderful childhood."

"How could I forget?"

"Ok then. Get ready-"

* * *

Naruto tossed a can of soda to Sakura and promptly dropped to the ground. The pink haired girl stared at him apprehensively. This was something she had no experience dealing with.

A quiet Naruto was scary.

He simply arrived at the bridge without so much as a word, not even glaring at Sasuke or laughing his ass off when the Uchiha got kicked around by a goat. Just that same troubled expression.

Something was seriously wrong.

And she was completely right.

The two loitered around some part of the village not worth noting, for team bonding. Sasuke went to the one place Sakura could not follow. The bathroom. And he was savoring the sweet alone time, so he won't be back for a while. Maybe an hour before he'd be dragged back.

Naruto was contemplating his life.

He knew he should be happy but he wasn't and he couldn't understand why.

He returned Yakumo's love.

He told her about Kyuubi.

He broke down and told her.

It wasn't possible in his mind. Who in their right mind would say something like that? It may have been a sort of possibility that she did actually love him, in a sense.

It could all be a lie. That she was screwing with his mind for the fun of it. Doing it simply because she could. That wouldn't be a very kind thing to do to someone now would it?

_'Happiness for the very person who saved all their lives? No! They can't have that! It would be an abomination!' _He thought.

But as much as he wanted to doubt it, Yakumo accepted him. She smiled. Naruto could see the honesty in her eyes.

And the sex was just awesome.

Yakumo's ability made foreplay something he would never forget.

The nightmares however, got to him. Every night it was the same thing over and over again. Akatsuki. Yakumo and everyone he knew dead. Konoha burning to the ground.

Naruto pushed those confusing thoughts to the back of his mind. He would enjoy his relationship with Yakumo as much as possible. Nothing was going to tear him away from her. Who knows if all this was true maybe they'd have a kid or something.

Or so he thought.

Sakura who was finally getting aggravated with the unusual silence, "Naruto what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing Sakura."

He too a step back and noted that he didn't call her Sakura-chan. Strange. He had been thinking about her less and less the more intimate he got with the Kurama heir.

"Don't give that bullshit." She deadpanned, "Heh, it's probably some stupid thing anyway."

"Like you would know." Naruto retorted. The sudden attitude towards his crushed surprised him, but he had more important things to worry about. The Yakumo situation kept him on edge throughout the day.

Sakura furrowed her brow and stormed up to him. "Damnit! Don't give me that attitude you idiot! What the hell could you possibly have that's so troubling hmm?"

"It's none of your business Sakura." He didn't' like the tone she was taking with him. Sakura pulled him up and brought his face to hers.

"Don't you call me that." She growled. "I am not your girlfriend. Do not address me as if I am. Don't get the wrong idea! And how is it not my goddamned business?! I know your plan Naruto." She shouted, "You conniving bastard! I know you're trying to take Sasuke away from me!"

_'Me? Take Sasuke?'_

_'Me and… Sasuke?!'_

A very sudden and disturbing image appeared in his mind.

/Firewall detecting Trojan.

/Cleaning…..

/C/DSK. Cannot be cleaned. Moving to vault.

//Process failed.

/C/DSK/ System files deleted…

///Recovery failed.

/Rebooting in Safe mode.

Naruto was silent for a few seconds.

…

…

…

"WHAT THE FUCK?!"

"Don't you deny it you asshole!" Sakura hissed and poked his chest; "You keep interrupting me and Sasuke every time we're alone! You keep taking him wherever to do Kami knows what you two are doing!"

"Sakura… You're delusional." Naruto replied. The revelation that Sakura, the smartest and most rational thinking girl from their class, actually believed that he and Sasuke had something between them. This was too freaky. "Think about what you're saying. Me… and Sasuke?! Seriously! What the fuck?!"

"Don't give me that piece of bullshit Uzumaki!" She poked him again, "I know you want him! I've seen how you two look at each other! It sickens me. He's the only one who even recognizes your existence…" The way she laid it on struck a chord with him. "Who the hell else would ever? Want. You. For. A. Boyfriend!"

His hand curled into a fist. '...Yakumo wants me.' He couldn't think why he was letting Sakura get to him like this. He never cared before, why now?

"You're nothing but a burden. Naruto. A burden to the team and the village. Stay out of me and Sasuke-kun's way."

"Please Naruto let me do this. I want to repay you somehow."

"I want to give myself to you Naruto."

"I killed my parents. B-Because of that thing in my head."

"Everything I believed was a lie."

"But I don't want to let it go."

"Do you understand?"

Naruto froze, having a sudden epiphany.

"I-I don't deserve her." He put a hand to his stomach, thinking of the seal. "What am I to her? I'm just another demon to burden her?"

_Save me Naruto…_

_P-Please help me._

_I don't want to die._

Naruto!!!

He pushed Sakura back slowly. His eyes shadowed and said, "So Sakura? Is that how you really feel? Everything you've said. I know it. I don't deny it. And here I thought I might have a decent teammate." A kunai slid into his hand, as he pushed her to the ground.

The nightmares finally made sense to him. There was no way either of them could be happy. As long as he was alive.

Alive. He would have to fix that.

"Damnit Naruto what're you-" Naruto put a hand on her mouth, "Quiet Sakura… just watch." He rolled up the sleeve of his left arm and drove the kunai into his wrist, his face showed pure pain and anguish as he twisted it.

"N-Naruto?!" Sakura screamed. "What are you doing?! S-Stop it. Stop it now!"

"Goddamnit!" He screamed, "B-But isn't this what you want. You want me away from your precious Sasuke. The village wants me gone. Everyone hates me. I'm a coward, worth nothing. I lie. Yet I'm still here. But I'll take care of that Sakura. Thanks to you." The kunoichi struggled beneath his weight trying to get loose and stop him.

"No, no Sakura. Why stop me?" He asked. Crimson drops stained her dress mixing with the red colour. "I've wanted to do this. I've thought on it for days on end. Staring at a kitchen knife. But I was too scared. Scared of what would happen. But now I understand. It's how I get everything to stop. The trickery, the mind games, the pain. I will stop my suffering now Sakura. You, you have set me free."

He sliced his throat easily with the blade, cutting through his jugular. Blood spurted onto his teammates shocked face.

"N-Naruto. What did you do?!"

He scowled in disappointment as the wound healed immediately. He scowled before stabbing the knife just below his wrist and pushing the blade all the way to his elbow. Blood poured out onto Sakura, revealing white bone to her. .

"Naruto stop this!" Sakura screamed, trying to shut her eyes closed, not wanting to see it. But it was like a massive wreck; the horrific event was just too disturbing to turn away from it. She stared in fascination as the flesh stitched itself back together with a red haze.

"Damn fox won't let me die…" He muttered under his breath, before smiling. "You see Sakura… I'm not worthy of the people that love me. She will die because of me. I guess that I have to die first."

Sakura eyes widened as he pointed the kunai at his right eye. "This is the last bit of pain I will ever feel Sakura. ARGHHH!!!!" At once he jabbed the kunai into his eyes socket, his screams sounded endless, telling a tale of eternal suffering. Red blood sprayed onto her face as Sakura could watch in morbid fascination. He leaned forward, using her forehead to push the blade deeper into his optical nerve. Blood flowed freely down the knife, leaving crimson trails that splattered all over the pink haired kunoichi.

Naruto was in absolute agony, unable to see clearly anymore as he realised that he was an inch away form the girl, "You see Sakura… This is what you wanted. This is what every last one of you wanted. You of all people should be happy."

_'What's going on?'_

_'Why is he doing this?'_

_'Is this Naruto?'_

_'Why?'_

_'Why is this happening?'_

_'This can't be Naruto.'_

_'I want it to stop.'_

_'Please make it stop.'_

_'Make it stop!!'_

With a final shove, he used her head as leverage to impale the tempered steel past his cranium and into his brain. Naruto twitched before his weight shifted and his body slumped over. Slowly his breath became shallow, the life he once possessed was slowly being extinguished. His face was against hers, in a parody of a kiss that he once work so hard for but was inevitably denied by Sakura.

With his last breath, Uzumaki Naruto died.

Sakura was fixated on the sky, she hyperventilated. All rational thought was gone.

Naruto died. Suicide.

She watched him die.

She forced him to.

She killed Naruto.

* * *

Sasuke whistled a slow tune as he walked over to his teammates. The alone time was well much needed.

He raised an eyebrow as Naruto laying on top of Sakura came into view.

'Naruto and Sakura?.. On the ground? All over each other?'

"Wow... You two are kinky." He said looking over the two. He noticed something off.

There was blood.

Lots of it.

Sakura looked petrified.

Naruto wasn't moving. At all.

"...What the fuck just happened?"

* * *

Naruto put his hand to his now missing right eye. He looked his blood stained hand still shocked. "Am I dead?" Massive claws attempted to cleave his head in two.

"No! But you're getting there!!"

"Kyuubi?"

The sewer-like construct of Kyuubi's jail was crumbling to pieces before them. Massive chucks of stone and copper fell revealing a red ethereal scene.

"I-I actually did it." Naruto whispered to himself, "So fox. Tell me what happens now."

"Now I'm going to maim you as soon as these bars open you imbecile!" It roared, "You have no fucking idea what you just did! You selfish brat!"

Naruto smirked viciously, "Shut up you mangy fox. You can't hurt me. You'll die with me. We will both go to hell together."

"Not hell boy. Yomi."

"Yomi?" Naruto asked slowly. "What are-"

Kyuubi snorted, nearly blasting Naruto away with a gust of wind. "Heaven. Hell they are nothing but fables you humans came up with to explain away what confuses you." It's eyes lowered to glare at the boy, "There is only one plain of existence after this. Yomi. The land of the dead, and realm of gods. As you will soon find out."

* * *

A/N: Chapter 1 done. Hopefully right and with no problems. I'd liek to point out now, that this will be heavily based on Japanese mythology. which i'll ignore and won't be of any immediate relevance anyway.

So there you go. Update, hopefully soon.


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